Category: supervision

leadership dot #5006: round 2

July 14, 2026July 8, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I am a fan of asking a candidate for a second interview. There are always concerns that arise in round 1, whether in the interview itself, in comments from others, in reference-check red flags, or in how the candidate acted during the process of arranging the interview. In round 2, there (hopefully) has been some rapport established, and you are able to have a more frank conversation.

There is nothing to lose by addressing the noted concerns. Either the candidate will relieve your worries with their answer, or you will proceed with the hiring process with eyes wide open, knowing the liabilities that you have to contend with. The same holds true by providing a forum to address the candidate’s hesitations.

Beyond the content, the candid conversation can help establish trust and vulnerability and set the tone for future interactions. It models how you will act as a supervisor, calmly addressing issues and giving the person a chance to respond, rather than letting things fester. The candidate learns about your style, and you learn how they handle feedback or approach sensitive issues. Both are key indicators of whether the relationship will be successful.

Hiring the wrong person can derail a culture and stymie your agenda. Take the time to do it right and invest in a round 2, even if it’s virtual or more casual. It’s a win no matter what you learn.

leadership dot #4996: trashed

July 1, 2026June 29, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I was at a baseball game, and when I finished with my snack, I threw the paper basket on the floor under my seat. There, it joined the wrappers, cups, and uneaten food from everyone in the row.

I would never even think of leaving trash on the ground at a park, concert, or really, anywhere else. I even carry out my refuse at a movie theater, but the norms at a baseball stadium say it is acceptable (even expected) to leave the garbage behind.

It was a reminder of the power of organizational behavior. You can create norms that have people pick up after themselves and leave no trace behind, or ones that let people throw everything on the floor. If you don’t set clear expectations for the behavior you want, people will default to the most convenient, less demanding outcome.

Be explicit about the type of culture you want to create. One piece of (metaphorical) garbage easily leads to more of it, whereas a lack of it also models the expected behavior. Don’t trash your culture by letting undesirable behavior go unchecked.

leadership dot #4990: change process

June 25, 2026June 24, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Leadership is about creating change, and those who seek to make a difference become proficient in three separate steps of the process.

The first step is identifying needs. Change leaders must recognize where gaps and inequities exist, or where opportunities lie. If you’re still relying on others to present you with problems to solve or projects to complete, you’ve abdicated your role in the first phase of the change process. You need to develop discerning eyes that pay attention to the process, feedback, pain points, possibilities, and trends, and identify where change is needed.

But noticing a need is not enough. Those interested in creating change must be able to articulate the issue compellingly. If you are afraid to speak up, are unable to deliver a persuasive message, or speak only in vague terms, the issue will likely remain unchanged. The most effective change leaders craft a specific ask, woven with an emotional story, to make their words memorable and actionable.

Finally, you must galvanize resources to implement the desired change. This could involve people or funds, assembled quickly or over time, but all mobilized to achieve the end result. Without the support and engagement of others, your idea is likely to fizzle.

Understanding that change happens in multiple stages is a helpful framework, especially for new professionals who have yet to learn that leadership and change are inextricably linked. Those who cannot identify, articulate, and galvanize are likely to remain followers, even if they have higher aspirations.

leadership dot #4982: without you

June 17, 2026June 15, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Supervisors can’t always be present for their teams, especially if their staff is located in multiple locations. In the absence of on-site leadership, performance can falter, and others may see it as their responsibility to report others’ transgressions to the boss. If you’re the supervisor, it puts you in a tough position to address behavior you didn’t witness.

It’s better to be proactive about the circumstances and hold a team meeting to develop — and agree upon — group norms. As the leader, you can also set the expectations for performance.

But the most important step is also determining what will happen when someone violates those norms, even in a small way. (e.g., if timeliness is important, what will happen if someone arrives late?) The group needs not only permission but also a clear expectation that everyone will help enforce the agreed-upon standards. The supervisor should only be involved when something escalates or when a correction is persistently ignored.

If you’re the boss and someone complains to you about the minor behavior of another, do not address it unless you want to be in the middle forever. Fictional Ted Lasso knew this when he let senior player Roy Kent address star Jamie Tartt’s bullying of the kit man. Roy came to Ted to complain, but Ted put it back on Roy to handle, thus modeling how minor conflicts should be addressed.

You can’t be everywhere all the time. When you are present, use your energy to create norms and expectations that will be carried out without you.

leadership dot #4974: carry yourself

June 9, 2026June 8, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I’ve recently been asked questions that revolve around how to handle being a new supervisor when it seems awkward: you suddenly are the boss of someone who was your colleague, or you’re supervising someone who applied for the position you are now in.

My advice is to act as if it is not awkward. How you carry yourself sets the tone for the culture and future interactions. Act like the boss, including your body language, how you dress, the hours you keep, and the tasks you perform. Be clear about expectations for the group—it’s a new day, and it’s time to reset. You can orchestrate this by listening and then outlining the new rules of engagement.

I also recommend giving an unapologetic “no” the first time it is warranted. People need to understand that just because they were your former peer, things are different, and the relationship has changed. Your main obligation now is to your new peers and the larger organization, rather than to your former colleagues, and this will inevitably entail some unpopular decisions. Helping set the context for this early will aid when the difficult time comes.

You were appointed to the position over the others because of some characteristics or skills leaders saw in you. Put those to work and be the leader you were chosen to be.

leadership dot #4955: interject

May 21, 2026May 21, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I’m a big fan of involving the supervisor in an aspect of the coaching relationship with one of their employees. While coaching needs to maintain sufficient separation for the “coachee” to be comfortable sharing difficult situations and challenges with the coach, it helps immensely when the supervisor can be looped in at occasional intervals.

Not only does this provide for updates, but it also allows a third party to interject with specific examples of behavior. There are things that the supervisor sees that the coachee may not even recognize they are doing, and, of course, the coach would have no way to know otherwise. With intermittent sessions with the supervisor, future coaching appointments can be adjusted in response to reality.

If an organization is investing in coaching for one of its employees, it’s in everyone’s best interest to have strong outcomes from the experience. Engage the supervisor to have the best chance of that happening.

leadership dot #4954: dosage

May 20, 2026May 19, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I was prescribed a round of Prednisolone, a drug that is taken in decreasing doses each day. The instructions read that dosing is variable, and my doctor recommended that I take all six pills at once on the first day, then five the next, etc.

In its own quirky way, it reminded me of an onboarding schedule. You need to front-load your time and information, gradually pulling back on the amount of intervention needed. Hopefully, by the end of the orientation period (which, unlike these pills, should last longer than six days!), the new employee will be equipped to work independently, with only intermittent assistance from you.

Not everything should be distributed in equal doses. Take care in determining which dosage schedule aligns with the need.

leadership dot #4935: pace

May 1, 2026April 30, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

A key strategic component of the 1,000-mile Iditarod race is when to rest the dogs. It may be tempting to push them further, but competitive mushers know that the dogs cannot indefinitely sustain a racing pace and must be well-fed and well-rested along the journey.

It seems that not all supervisors take such care. Asking teams to push, push, push is not good for productivity or morale. At some point, those who stay will become burned out, and their output will suffer. Perhaps unrealistic expectations for ONE project can be accommodated, but no one can maintain a relentless pace over the long term.

Don’t confuse “possible” with “sustainable.”

leadership dot #4933: transitioning

April 29, 2026April 28, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I’m helping coach someone transitioning from an individual contributor role to a leadership role. She made an astute observation that in her previous position, her life revolved around checklists. She was able to write out tasks, cross them off as she accomplished them, and use them to direct her work. But as she is discovering in her new role, there are not always checklists as a leader. She wisely realized this difference and is working “to train her brain” to think differently about her work.

It’s a living example of the difference between a technical problem (where there is a ‘right’ solution) and an adaptive one (where no one solution exists). Leadership is much more intuitive and iterative, and often involves work on things that are never finished or can’t be checked off a list. It can trip up a new leader who has only known success through tasks and tangible outputs. Not only do you have to think differently, but you must also manage your time and priorities in a new way as well.

Consider whether you are in a “checklist” role or whether your time is more appropriately spent on relationships, strategy, and the intangibles that create an effective culture. Without the dopamine hit of crossing something off the list, successful leaders develop internal metrics of success.

leadership dot #223a: alignment

April 22, 2026April 18, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

A very helpful exercise to conduct with direct reports is what I call an alignment questionnaire. I ask staff to complete four questions and use their answers in future conversations to gain alignment on our priorities, expectations, and style. Later, I refer to what evolves from our conversations for use in the evaluation process.

The questions are as follows:

How do you conceptually see your job and your role in this organization? One way to frame this is to pretend you are presenting this to the board to explain your unit. Another way to look at it is to acknowledge that if you could be cloned, you could keep both of “you” busy in this job. Since there is only one of you, what parts are most important? This can be shared through a model, story, or statement —anything that helps me understand your philosophy on how you define your work (in writing, one page maximum).
A maximum of five specific priorities for the next year. These can be your priorities or priorities for your office, but absolutely no more than five specific items.
Part of my role as your supervisor is to help you facilitate change and to help you be successful. What do you want me to know in this respect?
- What ideas are in the incubation stage?
- What is your key strength as a unit/department?
- What needs do you have (now and in the future)?
- What challenges/barriers do you face?
- What do you need from me?
- What seeds do you want me to plant to support you/your work?
What advice would you give me to help me be an effective supervisor for you?

Many productive conversations have been stimulated by these questions, the first one in particular. I can recall several situations where the employee had one idea of what the job was (e.g., individual ombudsperson/problem-solving role) and I had another (e.g., systemic changes and data sharing). Our conversations led to alignment and employee success going forward.

Whether you do it formally or informally, I recommend that you spend time aligning philosophy with your direct report staff. The stars will shine more brightly if you do.

Originally published in modified form on January 10, 2013